Preservation of one’s own culture does not require contempt or disrespect for other cultures.
— Cesar Chavez, American civil rights activist
Part 1
Ten years ago when I was editorial advisor of the Eastern Times I accompanied a group of 50 Dayak leaders from Sarawak on a cultural tour of West Kalimantan.
Jointly organised by the Sarawak Dayak National Union (SDNU) and Sarawak’s Ministry of Social Development and Urbanisation which was led by Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom.
SDNU and Borneo Dayak Cultural Heritage (BDCH) worked closely with Dewan Adat Dayak (DAD) and Majelis Adat Dayak Nasional (MADN) of KALBAR which provided the groundwork for the Safari’s VVIP participants.
We saw the likes of Tan Sri Leo Moggie Irok, Dato Sri Daniel Tajem Miri, Datuk Seri Edmund Langgu Saga and leaders of the Sarawak Dayak Graduates Association (SDGA) officials who were lawyers, professionals and wealthy businessmen.
It was a sentimental journey because I first visited KALBAR in the 1990s by motor-cycle — using the illegal “Jalan Tikus” routes.
Few Sarawakians will realise that the first “gateway” to KALBAR was only opened with the establishment of the Tebedu CIQ-customs, Immigration and Quarantine checkpoint 20 years ago.
About 90 minutes from Kuching, Tebedu or “Kota Intan”, the government had big plans for stronger KALBAR-Sarawak ties.
Two Indonesian cultural experts Tanjungpura lecturers Drs Clarry Sada, an Iban from Nanga Badau near the Lubok Antu border, and Drs Eusabinus Bunau, a Bidayuh from Kembayan
met our entourage at the border.
Clarry was chairman of the Dayak Centre of Studies at University in Pontianak.
As we passed the Tebedu CIQ to Entikong in foreign territory, I told Clarry: “In my time, if you ran down a village pig or dog, the fine was Rp1 million (equivalent to RM1,000 at that time).”
Clarry countered: “It has increased to almost Rp3 million. But if you knocked down a man on the
road, it would cost you less — about Rp1 million.”
But all that has changed because the natives have stopped rearing pigs under the longhouses to conform Indonesia’s enhanced rules on good hygiene practices.
Today many villages also breed canines for food. Specially cooked with herbs and other condiments, it is served as a delicacy in some restaurants.
I learnt that dog meat became popular after inter-marriages between Dayaks with Batak folk from Sumatra who have a tradition of eating their pets.
As the VVIPs headed for Pontianak, our destination was Sanggau Kapuas where a cultural reception was held for us.
We had taken a detour past the towns and villages of Entikong, Balai Karangan, Beduai, Kembayan, Sosok and Bodok.
We arrived late in the evening at the Sanggau-Kapuas — a small town next to the Kapuas, Borneo’s longest 1,143km river.
Sanggau-Kapuas, not to be mistaken with Sanggau-Ledo, is an important stopover as it is on the main road Putussibau, 760km in the far north which shares the border of Sarawak.
We arrived on the eve of Hari Raya and the town folk had either returned to their villages for the long weekend or were preparing for the Aidilfitri celebrations the following day.
Sanggau-Kapuas is a town which was built around the Iban Dayak tribes which have dominate the hinterland since they migrated from Pontianak along the Kapuas River 1,000 years ago.
According to Clarry, the first Ibans from Sarawak and Kalimantan were believed to have settled at a place called “Mandai” at Putussibau.
Hence the Iban death rite saying which goes, Lesi bebadi laya sulai, pulai ke mandai.
Checking in at the Grand Narita motel I felt safe because I had brought along my mosquito net.
That night the little town came alive as a grand cultural show had been prepared for us at the youth centre of the Roman Catholic Church.
In fact, most of the Kalimantan’s Dayak cultural share the premises of the Catholic churches.
One of our Indonesian contacts, Pak Widi, said that most of the Dayaks of KALBAR are Catholics who are proud of their culture.
“Unlike the Protestants who are opposed to resurrecting the old practices, our Dayak Catholics are keen to preserve the cultures of our ancestors.
“Some of the Catholic churches have centres where the youth are trained in various aspects of our culture especially in dancing.
“However, we respect the views our Protestant brethren and have been able to convince them that what we are doing is just to preserve our culture which is slowly being lost due to changes in society and modernisation,” he added.
At the impressive church the Sarawakians were treated to a traditional welcome of “tuak” rice wine and “ngajat” dancing similar to that of the Iban before being treated to a sumptuous meal of
chicken cooked in bamboo, and roasted pork and tapioca leaves cooked in coconut milk and much more.
By the end of the festivities, it was time to retire.
No regrets though because we had not come to KALBAR to have fun but rather to develop closer cultural ties with our Dayak counterparts.
Next week: Part 2
My Kalimantan Escapade — Bridging the Sarawak-KALBAR divide
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of New Sarawak Tribune.
